Spiral fabric having spacers for the spirals



V. C. KING SPIRAL FABRIC HAVING SPACERS FOR THE SPIRALS Filed March 25, 1936 March 29, 1938.

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1,9 ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 29, 1938 UNITED STATES SPIRAL'FAERIC' HAVING SPACERS FOR THE SPIR I ALS Vernon C. King, Worcester, Mass assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Wickwire Spencer Steel Company, a corporation of Delaware Application March 25,

9 Claims.

- Fabric made from interconnected wire spirals in wide use. One difiiculty which is met with in such fabric is the tendency of the spirals to change their relation one to another as, for instance, by turning over when the fabric is free from tension. This is true Whether or not the spirals be interconnected directly with one another or whether they be engaged with independent connectors.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide means for maintaining such spirals in th *rnormal relationshipto one another when i-h fabric is free from tension so that the spirals will not become displaced or turn over. A further object of the invention is to provide spacer elements which shall be of simple and inexpensive construction and readily assembled in cooperative relation to the constituent parts of such fabric for the purpose of maintaining such parts in their normal assembled relationship.

In accordance with the invention it is proposed to provide spacer elements which may readily be assembled with the spirals. It will be evident as the description proceeds that such spacing elemerits may take many diverse forms while serving the principal purpose to which the invention is addressed, but for the purposes of this application there has been shown by way of illustration a simple form of spacer which is well adapted for commercial use. More particularly, the improved spacer illustrated comprises a generally U-shaped strip which has a degree of resiliency and is formed with means which tend to prevent lateral movement of the spacer once it is placed in the desired position, such means being further of such character as to permit movement of the spacer in one direction under pressure while reventing movement of the spacer in the other direction, with relation to the spirals.

These and other objects of the invention will appear more particularly in. connection with the description of the embodiment shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a View of a fragment of spiral fabric having crimped connectors and showing the improved spacers assembled therewith.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary View in section through the fabric shown in Figure l. and illustrating the relation of the improved spacers to adjoining spirals, the View being taken on the plane indicated by the line 2-2 of Figure 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a View in perspective of the form of spacer illustrated in the drawing.

As shown in Figure l the fabric selected for 1936, Serial No. 70,814

illustration includes right-hand spirals a and left-hand spirals b alternately disposed with interposed transversely extending rods 0 with which the adjoining spirals are engaged. The connectors illustrated are shown as crimped in aca cordance with the construction constituting the subject matter of United States Letters Patent No. 1,952,873; The invention is not to be limited, however, to the use of the improved spacers with fabric formed in accordance with the design illustrated since their usefulness in other types of spiral fabric will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Normally, when the fabric is under tension the spirals are engaged with the connectors so as to present generally an uninterrupted surface. However, in practice, when the tension on the spirals is released the spirals are free to become displaced with respect to oneanother with the result that one spiral may tend to turn over with -32 respect to another. Sometimes one of the spirals 20 will become twisted so as to turn at one portion in its length and not at another portion. Whatever the consequences of the removal of tension it frequently happens that when tension is again applied to the fabricsome of the spirals are distorted and the general surface, uneven or interrupted. r

The principal object of the present invention is to prevent such relative displacement as between spirals by maintaining them in their normal assembled relationship even when the fabric is free from tension. To accomplish this desirable end it is proposed to provide suitable spacers which may be assembled in such relation to the parts of the fabric that the spirals will be held against displacement or turning over. In the embodiment shown in the drawing the improved spacer d is formed as a generally U-shaped strip which may desirably have a degree of resiliency. This spacer is of such form and dimensions as to be insertable within the spirals a, b, and where connectors such as c are employed to bear on adjoining connectors and hold them in predetermined spaced relationship. It is evident that when such connectors are held in normal spaced relationship the spirals cannot become relatively displaced or turn over with relation to one another. It is desirable in practice, to form the ends of the legs of the spacer d with curved portions which constitute suitable means to prevent ready lateral displacement of the spacer once it has been put in position and to provide for the engagement of the spacer with one or both of the spirals or connectors in such manner as to prevent positively movement of the spacer in one direction. As shown in Figure 1, for instance, the spacers can be pushed into the respective spirals from the end of the fabric represented by its uppermost edge. By applying suflicient pressure to the spacers their curved ends d, d, can slide over the spirals encountered and also over the crimped portions of the connectors. When the spacers have been moved inwardly of the fabric as far as is desired one leg or the other will be found engaged with one of the spirals or with one of the crimps, or both, so that reverse movement of the spacer will be positively checked. By reason of the yielding nature of the spacer it is unlikely that it will move further inwardly of the fabric under the influence of any incidental forces that may be impressed on it.

As indicated hereinbefore the invention is not to be limited to the precise form of the spacer shown since it obviously can take many other forms, as for instance, that of a solid member, or it may be provided with a different sort of retaining means to prevent its lateral displacement or such retaining means may be omitted.

Further, where connectors are not employed in the fabric the spacers may be appropriately formed to hold the interconnected spirals in their normal assembled relationship. The resulting fabric when assembled with the spacers is itself new in its characteristics in the respects indicated, particularly in that the spirals are always maintained in their normal assembled relationship and cannot turn over or become relatively displaced even when the fabric is free from tenslon.

Changes in details of construction within the skill of a mechanic may be made without departing from the invention.

What I claim is:

l. A fabric composed of spirals assembled in predetermined relationship and having yielding spacers operatively interengaged with the component elements of said fabric to maintain said spirals yieldingly in said predetermined assembled relationship and yieldingly restrain all move ment of adjacent spirals toward each other.

2. Spiral fabric having yielding spacers disposed within said spirals and operatively interengaged therewith to maintain the spirals yieldingly in normal assembled relationship against relative movement therebetween toward each other.

3. A fabric composed of spirals, connectors with which said spirals are engaged and yielding spacers disposed Within the spirals and operatively engaged with proximate connectors to maintain the spirals yieldingly in normal assembled relationship.

4. A fabric composed of spirals, connectors with which said spirals are engaged, spacers disposed within the spirals and operatively engaged with proximate connectors to maintain the spirals in normal assembled relationship, and means carried with said spacers to restrain them against lateral displacement.

5. A fabric composed of spirals, connectors with which said spirals are engaged, spacers disposed within the spirals and operatively engaged with proximate connectors to maintain the spirals in normal assembled relationship, and means carried with said spacers to restrain them yieldingly against movement in one direction while holding them positively against movement in the other direction.

6. A fabric composed of spirals, connectors with which said spirals are engaged, spacers disposed within the spirals and operatively engaged with proximate connectors to maintain the spirals in normal assembled relationship, said spacers having means to engage the adjoining spirals and connectors operatively to hold them against movement in one direction.

'7. A spacer for the purpose set forth having means to engage the spirals of thefabric yieldingly to maintain them against relative displacement toward each other from a normal assembled position thereof.

8. A spacer of the character set forth comprising a U-shaped strip of material insertable in the spirals of a fabric to lie within the said spirals.

9. A spacer for the purpose set forth comprising a U-shaped element having curved springy ends for engagement with the spirals of a fabric yieldingly.

VERNON 0. KING. 

